Trump previewed weak GDP on Truth Social ahead of official data release

February 20, 2026

TL;DR

President Trump posted on Truth Social about a potential slowdown in GDP growth 40 minutes before the official release.
The Commerce Department reported U.S. GDP rose at an annualized rate of 1.4% in the fourth quarter, a 3 percentage point decline from the previous period.
Trump attributed the slowdown to a previous government shutdown, estimating it cost the U.S. at least two points in GDP.
The Congressional Budget Office had estimated a shutdown of similar length could shrink annualized real GDP growth by up to 2 percentage points.
Economists from Dow Jones had estimated a 2.5% gain for the period.
Trump has previously revealed economic data before its official release, leading to questions about policy violations and potential advantages for traders.
The Office of Management and Budget prohibits executive branch officials from commenting on such releases before 30 minutes after they have come out.
A White House official defended Trump's post, stating he consistently points out the shutdown's drag on the economy.
Trump also reiterated criticism of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell over interest rate policies.
Trump has previously called Powell "Too Late" and questioned his handling of interest rates.

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